Downtown Grand Haven gears up for $5.2 million makeover

Downtown Grand Haven will soon undergo a makeover that will bring its aged infrastructure into the 21^st Century. Included is the clever reuse of hot water from a nearby power plant to create a new snowmelt system.

According to excerpts from the story:

Starting this fall, Grand Haven's own version of Extreme Makeover begins as part of a major infrastructure project transforming much of the downtown on Washington Avenue and keeping sidewalks and a portion of the street free from snow in the winter. The $5.2 million project targets Washington Avenue from Harbor Drive east to Third Street and calls for new sewer, water lines, street resurfacing, sidewalks, street furniture, street lighting, traffic signals and a snowmelt system.

The snowmelt system, which will pump heated water from the Sims II Power Plant on Harbor Island to a network of pipes under Washington Avenue and adjacent sidewalks, alone, will cost about $2.7 million. Grand Haven City Manager Pat McGinnis said details of the construction schedule are being worked out to minimize disruptions during the busy summer months.

Initial plans call for work to begin this fall, continue through the winter, ease during the summer and resume in the fall.

Read the complete story here.